Alison
Cullen BA (Hons), DN, DNT (Dist) is a nutritional therapist with a busy
practice in Glasgow, Scotland. She has worked in the health industry since 1987
and currently combines her practice with the role of Education Manager for the
leading herbal remedy company, A. Vogel Herbal Remedies.
There are many factors that can affect the
health of our skin - age, heredity, diet and stress to name but a few. The condition of our skin can say a lot about
our general health so it’s worth paying attention to any problems that may
arise and looking after it as best we can. After all, skin is the
largest organ in the body.
The health of your skin depends on the
nutrients brought to it in the bloodstream e.g. if you are lacking in zinc,
vitamin A or essential fatty acids then your skin will be dry, flaky or
irritated and slow to heal. Foods that
affect the skin are wheat, dairy products, additives such as monosodium
glutamate, fatty or fried food and over-processed, refined foods. Alcohol, nicotine and sugar are also
recognised as having an adverse effect on the skin. Your diet should contain lots of antioxidants
such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The
antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamins C, E and the mineral selenium are thought
to delay the appearance of lines and wrinkles and also feed collagen, the
substance that keeps our skin flexible and elastic.
Puffiness and swelling of the skin can be
improved by reducing your salt intake.
Avoid highly spiced foods and use a low salt alternative or herbal
seasoning salt in place of your usual table salt.
If toxins are not removed from the body via
the bowel, liver, kidney or lungs, they can come out via the skin instead,
sometimes causing blemishes to appear. To keep your skin hydrated and to aid
proper elimination of toxins through the kidneys and colon drink a minimum of
6-8 glasses of water every day. This
will help reduce bags under the eyes caused by kidney strain and keep skin
looking fresh and dewy-looking.
Cut down on your intake of caffeine in
the form of tea, coffee and fizzy drinks. These can drain moisture from the
body and promote constipation. Opt for
herbal teas or coffee substitutes instead.
If you are constipated, skin problems can become worse so it’s important
to include lots of fibre in your diet.
Fibre increases the volume and softness of bowel content and hastens its
passage through the gut, preventing constipation.
If you don’t get enough sleep you will have
more wrinkles and skin impurities as you are not allowing your body the time it
needs to recover and repair.
To help prevent the appearance of spots and
blemishes wash and cleanse the skin thoroughly on a daily basis. To replace the
moisture and improve the condition of the skin use
a herbal cream containing extracts of
echinacea and viola tricolor. The herb echinacea
has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and
can be used in the treatment of many skin problems. Applied topically, it assists and speeds up
wound healing.
If you are stressed it will show in your
face. You will look tired, your skin
will be pale, shadows will appear under the eyes and possibly an outbreak of
spots due to stress hormones. Make exercise part of your daily routine.
Anything to get your blood pumping and your skin glowing. Aim to get out into
the fresh air as often as possible to get some colour back into your complexion
and make sure to set aside some ‘me time’ every day to keep those worry lines
at bay.
Its a great post indeed. It let us know that Yoga is not only about exercising or stretching our body health but due to this we can make ourselves relax and it makes our mind fresh.
ReplyDeleteActually I find out about Article related about Skin Care, but I can't found it on Google, hope you can write that topic for me, it's my pleasure to visit again your website .. ^_^
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! You are so right! Yoga can help us in so many ways. I know that when I regularly practice yoga, my skin looks way better! Especially Bikram! Hmmmm. Thanks for the great topic idea! :)
ReplyDeleteIts a great post indeed. It let us know that Yoga is not only about exercising or stretching our body health but due to this we can make ourselves relax and it makes our mind fresh.
ReplyDelete